Serendipity is a wonderful thing. A few years ago, when I was designing a production of Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, for the Cheltenham Music Festival (see here) I connected online with the Voice of God in another production, in the composer’s hometown, Lowestoft. The voice in question belonged to “Britain’s best-loved radio voice” – Zeb Soanes.
Zeb and I have since become friends, discovering much in common, for we both grew up in and around Lowestoft, and went to school there, and both of us present orchestral concerts.
Meanwhile, moonlight magic was afoot, for Zeb had another blossoming friendship: an injured urban fox. He named him Gaspard, helped him heal and forged a deep bond with this beautiful, elegant and mysterious animal. Later Gaspard was revealed as a vixen, when she introduced her cubs to the spellbound broadcaster and writer.
Stories began to grow, Zeb wrote them down… and he then turned to me as a potential illustrator, to see if I was interested. You can imagine my reply!
I love foxes. Wolves and foxes fascinate me. The folk-lore and stories about them has always inspired me. The beautiful shape and colour are a gift to an illustrator.
So now, with unbridled excitement, I am able to announce today (at the end of London’s “Fox Fortnight”) that Zeb Soanes and I have been signed for a three book deal by the wonderful, intrepid and imaginative independent publisher Graffeg.
I could not be more thrilled, and the first 32 page, full colour picture book, Gaspard the Fox, will be published next May, 2018.
I am lookimg forard to visiting the streets and canals that the story book Gaspard considers his kingdom, and I’ll begin with reportage drawing and sketches, which I will be posting here. I have a feeling that Zeb and I will be a dream-team collaboration, as he’s a genuinely lovely guy, very friendly and we have so much in common. Most of all I am looking forward to meeting Gaspard, and beginning the journey that will, I hope, transform him into a classic picture-book character who will be loved by children all over the world.
You can read more about Gaspard here and see some wonderful photos, where you will discover that he/she really IS the handsomest fox in London!
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